Banged by left finger while removing a heavy duty keyboard tray about two weeks ago. Now my index finger and middle finger go numb. I have to move them around to regain feeling. Have the bad habit of resting on my elbows at my desk. Should I be concerned? Spoke with my doc and he says give it a month. I am religious about ergonomics. I think the tabs on keyboards are a sin. Kind of freaking me out.

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Back in the mid-90's I used to own a computer shop in a very small religious town (I had long hair, earrrings, and named my store Evolution Computers just to stir the pot). That being said there was VERY little to do in that town... so after hours I would go back to my store and game until the weee hours of the morning... (typically Half Life). I was there one night until 2 or 3 am... I was in the middle of a big intense HL match, when I noticed two of my fingers on my left hand starting to go numb. For a little while I thought I was having a heart-attack.... just because of left-arm numbness. 6 weeks later those two fingers were even worse... totally numb.... although not painful. So I knew I wasnt having a 6 week heart attack and realized it was carpal-tunnel. From that point forth, all I have done to combat it is change my typical FPS gaming keys from the default and entirely un-ergonomic WASD to something far less wrist-cranking. Since then it has not vanished entirely, but I beleive any remainder to be long term damage from the old days, and not a continueing issue..... it was never painful.... and rarely happens anymore using "my keys"...

*EDIT* one of our current users here made a complaint regarding carpal-tunnel not too long ago... on her mouse-hand. I've never had an issue with the mouse hand ..... but we got her a track-ball... insisted she give it at least one week to get used to.... when I spoked to her recently she is completely used to the control and has really helped with her carpal-tunnel.

I know my typing for a living hasn't done my hands or wrists any favors. I have poor circulation in my hands and it can get cold up here in Chicago. Trying to find gloves that can keep my hands warm and keep dexeterity has been a struggle. Even some of the most insulated bulkiest gloves do not keep me warm. If I take a nap on my couch my hands can go numb, but seem to stay that way longer than they should.

I have hit 40, so work with your doctor to find ways to ensure your circulation stays good.

I know my typing for a living hasn't done my hands or wrists any favors. I have poor circulation in my hands and it can get cold up here in Chicago. Trying to find gloves that can keep my hands warm and keep dexeterity has been a struggle. Even some of the most insulated bulkiest gloves do not keep me warm. If I take a nap on my couch my hands can go numb, but seem to stay that way longer than they should.

I have hit 40, so work with your doctor to find ways to ensure your circulation stays good.

My mom was a librarian for 25 years (mostly in the era of typewriters).... she used to cut holes in socks to wear as gloves when she typed lol..... cute, but effective (so she has said). I remember WAY back when I had an Apple II+/c/e the keyboard being part of the computer itself... nothing like these 1 inch thick ones we have today...... it sat on a 6 inch box... so your wrists were always cranked to the extreme when typing. At least it isnt that bad anymore.

I can not recommend a trackball and ergonomic keyboard enough to people with or without hand and wrist problems. I've been using a trackball for almost a decade and I have never had any issues.

My mom had an elbow surgery recently and had years of pain, after a few weeks of getting her a Logitech trackman trackball and Microsoft 4000 keyboard (my favorite combo btw) she hasn't any pain. I have this setup both at home and at work.

I can not recommend a trackball and ergonomic keyboard enough to people with or without hand and wrist problems. I've been using a trackball for almost a decade and I have never had any issues.

My mom had an elbow surgery recently and had years of pain, after a few weeks of getting her a Logitech trackman trackball and Microsoft 4000 keyboard (my favorite combo btw) she hasn't any pain. I have this setup both at home and at work.

I went the route of an ergonomic keyboard years ago.... took me a week to get used to.... but then was extremely pleased with it..... my only problem with that is that I woul get used to the ergnomic keyboard, but most times I was working on someone else's PC and would have to switch back and forth more times in a day than I care to think about.... so it was good, but hard to switch between the two so frequently.

I went the route of an ergonomic keyboard years ago.... took me a week to get used to.... but then was extremely pleased with it..... my only problem with that is that I woul get used to the ergnomic keyboard, but most times I was working on someone else's PC and would have to switch back and forth more times in a day than I care to think about.... so it was good, but hard to switch between the two so frequently.

Agreed, using someone else's can be tough, but on the flip side having a trackball prevents most folks from want to even touch my machine. "How do you use this thing???" haha

I went the route of an ergonomic keyboard years ago.... took me a week to get used to.... but then was extremely pleased with it..... my only problem with that is that I woul get used to the ergnomic keyboard, but most times I was working on someone else's PC and would have to switch back and forth more times in a day than I care to think about.... so it was good, but hard to switch between the two so frequently.

Agreed, using someone else's can be tough, but on the flip side having a trackball prevents most folks from want to even touch my machine. "How do you use this thing???" haha

I don't much like track-balls.... I can manage if a user has one but prefer a mouse.... but any carpal-tunnel issues I've had have been the other hand... never the mouse hand for me anyway..... They sure do make some pretty funky split keyboards though...

I don't much like track-balls.... I can manage if a user has one but prefer a mouse.... but any carpal-tunnel issues I've had have been the other hand... never the mouse hand for me anyway..... They sure do make some pretty funky split keyboards though...

I really hate those keyboards! I know some people who swear by them though...

Surprised there isn't more discussion on this topic at this site. My father was a safety manager for 20 years and had this stuff pounded into me. Lift at the knees, good posture. Now that I'm older and less invincible, wish I had heeded more of his advice.

Surprised there isn't more discussion on this topic at this site. My father was a safety manager for 20 years and had this stuff pounded into me. Lift at the knees, good posture. Now that I'm older and less invincible, wish I had heeded more of his advice.

Ok I have it. Badly. Both hands. Left handed and it's worse here than the right. I've seen the family practice doc, two orthopedic surgeons, and a neurologist, the tests at the neurologist were no fun at all. I have major, swear out loud, peel the paint off the wall, pain in fingers, webbing between thumb/index, and wrist and moderate numbness in middle and ring finger in the left hand. Same pain in right hand but mild numbness same fingers. Surgery looks like the best option for me and recommended by orthopedic doc.

Anyone had this surgery? Please help because I can't take the pain anymore.

I've had bouts of carpal tunnel...... but no where near as bad as you describe.... I changed my habits some... took more frequent breaks and it eventually "went away"..... mine was limited to numbness on my left hand, with no pain..... just the annoyance of the "half asleep" feeling in my hand..... that was also years go.

I think if I was going through what you are...... I'd go for the surgery..... how does that fit in with your place of employment..... would you get short term disability or the like... or would they just fire you fore being abscent for too long... or are they more undersstanding and accomodating than that?

I could do it over the Spring Break holiday. Thankfully I work at a school and we'll be closed March 10 - 18. My boss and human resources are very accommodating and understanding of this prob. I was told that I would need a week's recovery time with light duty, like typing only and no lifting until the 2nd week with only light weight items 5lbs or less.

I could do it over the Spring Break holiday. Thankfully I work at a school and we'll be closed March 10 - 18. My boss and human resources are very accommodating and understanding of this prob. I was told that I would need a week's recovery time with light duty, like typing only and no lifting until the 2nd week with only light weight items 5lbs or less.

Well I guess you have your answer....... you sounds safe in your job.... no need to have it be painful.

Update: Passed on the surgery!! I went to see a chiropractor. ADM!! (aye dios mio!)

X-rays show that my neck is too straight and actually putting my head over my chest instead of my shoulders. This is a bad thing as your neck should actually curve back. The neck is also a bit off center to the right.

After 5-6 adjustments, along with physical therapy of stretching the neck backwards, and three other neck exercises and using a gyro device called Dynaflex in both hands to help warm up my wrists... the numbness in both hands is 95% gone unless I do a ton of typing. Pain level is also down unless i try to pick up something over 5lbs.

I've picked up my guitar every night this week and played for more than an hour! Before I couldn't go more than 40 mins and would hurt like hell the next day.

new ergonomic keyboard & mouse and footrest will be ordered and paid for by my wonderful employer.

I worked car insurance my previous life and used to think chiro's were a bunch of quacks. Then my wife dragged me to one. Man... I don't care even if it is placebo effect, what a difference. They can get a little preachy, but there I think there are several undeniable truths to holistic medicine.

I wasn't too keen on chiropractors either but my bosses swears by him. So far this chiro dr is the only dr that took x-rays of my neck and showed me what he believes is wrong. And I'm feeling better, placebo or not, being able to sleep all night instead of waking up with pain and numbness, that's for me.

my wife had a painful condition in both hands called trigger finger. She had surgery and says it was well worth it. The last operation was done under a local anesthetic. It took about 6 weeks to heal completely.

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